Condenser cleaner



Dec.'18, 1934. F. w. FIELDHOUSE 3 5 CONDENSER CLEANER Filed Dec. 12, 1932 fem Hf F/Ewrm usE WWW UNITED STATES] PATENT OFFICE ,7 as i I f f'".fconnr simcmmm a Fr aw. Fijeldhoiise',Louisvilla'Ky. I v 'Appu asnvneafstam,ass ssinN 646.751; M

v e I 11 Claims;

This invention relates to an ever ready simply operated means for mechanically removing -accumulated foreignmatter-from the surface of condensers or heatingexchangers, which: can be -5 constructed as a part of the condenser andbecome a composite'whole- Theprime objectofthis 'inventionis the production of an efficient andinexpensive' addition to the condenser of a household refrigerating unit to enable the owner to prevent the condenser from losing its efficiency, which invariably re-' sults from dust'or other foreign matter which collects upon it without resorting .to the usual procedure of locating a suitable brush, g aining access to an inaccessiblydisposed condenser and removing the. accumulation 'at a. considerable effort or by calling, a service man,awith the attendant expense, to performthis distasteful and often neglected .chore. Manufacturers and dealers household -:reflfrigerating units are ever confronted .with complaints from owners, caused by the increasing duration of operating periods jof.,the.,refrigerating unit-required to maintain the normal low temperatures with consequentincreasedcost of electric current and increased as well'as unneces sary wear of the apparatus,. therefore, another object accomplished by this invention is mania fested in increased life of and econorny the operation of refrigerating;ui1 its It,is,'-of course, understood that the invention not; limited .to such condensers, it can also be employedincom nection with heat exchangers in generaland cer; tain phases of the invention areapplicable to other equipments. I The means employed according to this invention constitutes structure wherein the special cleaning equipment can be built into. the unit during its manufacture, or it can be subsequently lodged adjacent to same, and organized tofunction as if it had been originally built into-the ap paratus. It is at once apparent that the apparatus provided by this invention for maintaining the condenser at full normal capacity would enable a given size of refrigerating unit to care for a greater cubical space than if the condenser element of the unit were not so equipped.

Other objects and advantages of the structure are here-in-after set forth in detail and will-be apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

The preferred forms are particularly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this application for Letters Patent, and where- (C -.2 71.'" )1".: c, incorresponding characters refer to like the several different views. l

parts in Figure 1 represents a-front elevation of a condenser to which is'attached the cleaner element andas'sociated apparatus for directing as well as causing its operation. Fig; I 1A indicates 'a detached part of the apparatusshown in Fig.1;

" Fig. 2 is 'a side elevation of Fig. l. i t 1 "-Fig; 3.is arr-enlarged elevation of a section of the gear, rack and guide' membe'r for the cleaningelemen't, J V r ='Fig.f4 is-a portion of the-"same'type of con:- denser shown'inFig. 1,however, a different kind of condenser cleaner element, which is illustrated in Fig/ 5, is utilized for accomplishing similar results to the rotatory type{o 'fbrush employed in Fig.1. v i 1f Fig. -5 is a top viewofl iga-l. 'Fig. 6 is a section of afront View of a further Lmodified means for operating a cleaner element,

while Fig. -'7 isa side elevation of Fig. 6.

numeral 10 indicatesa condenserof well known type in whichll indicates-tubes for carrying the fluid'to be treated. 12 indicates a series of sheet plates in intimate contact with the tubes to form finsi for the purpose of producing increased surface area,"which practice is wellknown in the industry; fi'I'he tubes are disposed in end'pieces l3'which'lare shown modified from the 'usual'form by having 2 an elongatedslot 14 fashioned there- 'in-which includes-"rack 15, which is to mesh with gears 16 disposed onshaft 17 which may take the form of a core in which are disposed groiip'sof bristles 18a to form a cylindrical brush 1 8"'an'd*-s'o located and disposedthat upon movement they will contact with the-fins12 and remove; dust; dirt or foreign matter impingedthere on as the result of air flowing in the direction-of the arrow placed on Fig. 2. I

I In practice it has been found that practically all of thedeposited matter will be found on the v frOnt surface of thesefins and that the brushv eifectivelyremovessaid matter and preserves the normal radiating capacity of the condenser. However should additional tubes with fins be necessary, another brush can be disposed to service the added bank, as well as the rear faces of the front bank of fins. Shaft 17 is arranged with an outboard bearing at 19 which is journaled into eye 20 which is a terminus of rod 21, while the other end of said rod terminates at knob 22 preferably disposed on face 23 of a refrigerating unit and therefore made accessiblev to the owner so that the brush 18 can be caused to rotate by a simple pull and push movement thereby making the operation very simple, even though the condenser be disposed at a remote location, which is usually the case.

It will be noted that rod 21, which is preferably of the Bowden wire type, is encased in a guide 24. In Fig. l the dot and dash outlined figure shown at the bottom indicates the rest position for the rotating brush. It will be noted that when the brush is so disposed it will be out of the path of the forced air circulation, in order that it will not interfere with same. Spring 25 can be added to the mechanism for the purpose of returning the brush to the rest position, which will insure the return of the brush to the desired location;

In Fig. 3 the gear 16 is shown as contactingwith surface 14a, a margin of slot l4, as it trave. erses said slot which serves to assist in effecting a complete meshing of the gear with rack 15, also to produce a shaking or jarring action and trans? mit this force to the associated parts to assist in oli l s e r gn ma t r, t w l be n ted that the teeth of the gear strike surface 14 Wi h a r s n a d. fall n a t o ur n r ta qn an thereby set up the desired shaking action.

n F s 4 an 5a nona in b ush- 6 i ho n sim l y a e sin he fa f c de r 10 a d is uide b ar 2 h ch lide n rods 28 attached to frame 13a. Bearing 29 is ro ded o be iou nale in eye 20 h u d th y e o b shb mp o ed In Figs. 6 and 7 frame 13b has an elongated slot 14b without a rack and is organized to guide t cleaning brush and c us r ta ion y means of a r or cable 3 at ac d n rame 131% by pins or screws 31, hearing 32 being provided to be urnal mer 2 peratiq as descr e! for Fig. 1. Many other means are possible for giving the cleaning-brush a rgtatir g motion for nst n it be sufii ie t r W i hte e retu o he. rest posi i n a h hqt em. by its wei h nd e. ower en 3 o 0 d 0 rem .re f m e low m, lengthe ed an l e a pulley t iown).v Wh' Runes. bei p ll would ca he rus s mists crystal? a fi c t e d si e c anin th the Object o hfs m n i n hav n bee disclosed, m fu herv mqd ficstiena sub titutions or eliminations assert thorns s and the means for accomplishing same, therefor-e 3;

do not wish to be limited to the specified forms shown and described, and desire to be limited only by the appended claims.

I claim: a U

A c nd n e a r com ing: we ps ns an a'cl an s e ment asleen eslement carrying me n fixed n, re atio ts 6%- d -a d r d ot us ?-it e em nt is contact said condenser and means, tero tate said element and thereby remove accumulated, foreign matter from said condenser,

2. A ond ns r l an r cmp isine n we e? ins m s, a clean n el m n a cl an ng:- ele:

ment carrying means fixed in relation to a con; denser and arranged to uide said; element over the face of said condenser and means cooperating with said carrying means to rotate and reciprocate said element. 4

3. A condenser cleaner comprising an operating means, a cleaning element, a cleaning element carrying means fixed in relation to a condenser and arranged to guide said element over and traverse the heat exchanger, a supporting and guiding structure for said element and means cooperating with said structure to rotate said element and cause'it-to traverse said heat exh nger- 5. A heat exchanger cleaning apparatus comnrgsing atra k, a rotato y cleaner member movbly suppo ted by said track and means, coe' operating with saidtrack to. rotate. and reciprotesaid cleaner memben. -1 a i 6. A heat, exchanger cleaning-apparatus comprising a track; a rotary" brush cleaner. member mor bly supp rted by said track and means for im art a reciprocative rotatingmovement to said cleaner. a o 7. The combination in a heat exchanger cleanin apparatus oi a rotatory cleaning element equipped with a gearmounted adjacent thereto in mesh with a rack cooperating with said gear for operating saidelement to cause same to rotate and to traverse said exchanger. I 1

a. The combination-in aheat exchanger cleaning apparatus of a rotatory cleaning element equipped with a gear mounted in mesh with a rack co-operating with said. gear for operating said element, and means for applying a linear force, tocause said element to rotate and to traverse-said exchanger. s I l 9. The combination in'a heat exchanger cleaning apparatus of a rotatory cleaning brush equipped 'witha gearin meshwith arack cooperating, with said gearand means for operating said brush=to cause. same to rotate and to traverse said exchangerand remove accumulated matter therefromfi-f l0. The combination in a heat exchanger cleaning apparatus 7 of a rotatory cleaning brush equipped with a gear in mesh with a rack cooperating with saidgear and-means'for operat ing said brush, 'by a linearly applied force, to

cause said element to rotate and-to traverse 

